Questions you want answered.

Thanks. This was useful. There remains pause in interpretation due to the etymology being all over the place. (Nicely summarised, Danjo Olivaw!) I do at least have a better base to work from now.

It, for me, is pegged as a popular modern substitution in place of more befitting terms so the user can appear relevant and in the know. (Not always. Not everyone.)

At work a few colleagues and I were discussing words their children were coming off with that they'd never heard before, or didn't quite understand the usage for. "Triggered" was one. "Troll" was another. I predict "bad actor" may be soon. "Sea Lion" I'd forgot about. That's only the second or third time I've saw it.

"Triggered" has unfortunately become a derogatory term in some circles. The same sorts of circles that use "autistic" as an insult.

BadKen wrote:

"Triggered" has unfortunately become a derogatory term in some circles.

I did not know this. I probably prefer not to find out.

In this instance a co-worker had his daughter use it as such.

"Dad! You're triggering me. Stop!"

Said co-worker responded.

"I'm what? Trigger? What?"

The first few to respond didn't have a clue but surmised that she was either upset or angry or frustrated. He got that, obviously, but couldn't grasp the foreign language she chose to communicate, and thus couldn't be sure which it was. (It was a nonsense issue over what was for dinner.) They'd never heard the word used as such. To them "Trigger" was either what fired a gun when pulled, or a character from Only Fools and Horses. Two of us were able to fill in the blanks to much blank stares and raised eyebrows. "It's an on-the-internet thing..." seemed to clear the hurdles of confusion for where or how it became relevant.

I wouldn't discount Sealion, especially among teens and 20 something who are becoming politically aware. I've heard it numerous times. The term originates entirely in a webcomic that was making fun of bad faith consersatives alt-righters and avowed Incels who try to bait people into trap 'discussions'

IMAGE(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/873/260/a5b.png)

My work keys seem to grow a grayish layer of gunk over time that then rubs off on my hands. I have tried cleaning them with various products (water and soap, alcohol, even WD-40) and while that will remove it I haven't been able to find anything that will prevent it from growing back. I work mostly in office and classroom environments so I am not getting filthy dirty everyday so I am not sure where the gunk is coming from. Any know a way to prevent this from happening?

Rykin wrote:

My work keys seem to grow a grayish layer of gunk over time that then rubs off on my hands. I have tried cleaning them with various products (water and soap, alcohol, even WD-40) and while that will remove it I haven't been able to find anything that will prevent it from growing back. I work mostly in office and classroom environments so I am not getting filthy dirty everyday so I am not sure where the gunk is coming from. Any know a way to prevent this from happening?

How about a cover at night?
Edit - Tried posting an amazon link, but failed miserably. Search for keyboard cover and you should be able to find a relatively cheap solution.

Edit 2 - If it really is something growing on the keys rather than crud from the air accumulating, I'd be worried it's mold, and at a minimum get a new keyboard, and almost certainly notify whoever takes care of your workspace health/ergonomics/OSHA compliance - if you have anybody.

Rykin wrote:

My work keys seem to grow a grayish layer of gunk over time that then rubs off on my hands. I have tried cleaning them with various products (water and soap, alcohol, even WD-40) and while that will remove it I haven't been able to find anything that will prevent it from growing back. I work mostly in office and classroom environments so I am not getting filthy dirty everyday so I am not sure where the gunk is coming from. Any know a way to prevent this from happening?

do you mean a keyboard or metal keys for a door?

thrawn82 wrote:
Rykin wrote:

My work keys seem to grow a grayish layer of gunk over time that then rubs off on my hands. I have tried cleaning them with various products (water and soap, alcohol, even WD-40) and while that will remove it I haven't been able to find anything that will prevent it from growing back. I work mostly in office and classroom environments so I am not getting filthy dirty everyday so I am not sure where the gunk is coming from. Any know a way to prevent this from happening?

do you mean a keyboard or metal keys for a door?

Hrm....I might have totally misread the original post.

That greyish gunk is metal and lubricant. More frequently used keys will build it up faster.

I always thought it was kind of sweet that the sea lion gave them the hour for breakfast.

NormanTheIntern wrote:

I always thought it was kind of sweet that the sea lion gave them the hour for breakfast.

but in human years, that's about 12 minutes.

Rykin wrote:

My work keys seem to grow a grayish layer of gunk over time that then rubs off on my hands. I have tried cleaning them with various products (water and soap, alcohol, even WD-40) and while that will remove it I haven't been able to find anything that will prevent it from growing back. I work mostly in office and classroom environments so I am not getting filthy dirty everyday so I am not sure where the gunk is coming from. Any know a way to prevent this from happening?

Clean the locks of the doors you are using. Make sure you don't have a keychain fob or something that is shedding in your pocket.

LeapingGnome wrote:
Rykin wrote:

My work keys seem to grow a grayish layer of gunk over time that then rubs off on my hands. I have tried cleaning them with various products (water and soap, alcohol, even WD-40) and while that will remove it I haven't been able to find anything that will prevent it from growing back. I work mostly in office and classroom environments so I am not getting filthy dirty everyday so I am not sure where the gunk is coming from. Any know a way to prevent this from happening?

Clean the locks of the doors you are using. Make sure you don't have a keychain fob or something that is shedding in your pocket.

Irony is, by collecting all that crud from the locks onto his keys, he IS cleaning the locks.

So yea door keys and we are talking about hundreds of doors in like four different buildings and it seems to be the least used keys that have it the worse. The heads grow this stuff as well as the blades so I am not sure about the dirty lock theory. I think it might have something to do with them being made of brass or perhaps a reaction between the brass keys and whatever metal the keyring is made of. I ordered a KeySmart earlier today because my key ring is a bit ridiculous (15 keys with number 16 to be added soon) so maybe that will help some. I have though about maybe applying clear nail polish to the heads. I wiped the keys down earlier but I missed a bit on the end of these keys:

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/QJheY2S.jpg)

they look like brass keys, or some similar copper based alloy, and that stuff looks green like virdigree (sp). could they just be corroding and the gunk you're feeling is the oxide? I'm not sure what to do about that though.

I’ve always felt that the term “bad actor” had the effect of whitewashing and legitimizing the abhorrent behavior of the extremely privileged class.

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Clean your keys with a toothbrush and mild cleaning agent like window cleaner. Then dry them with a towel or shop rag. This will have to be done on a regular basis. This toothbrush is not to be used to clean your teeth. Only use it to clean your keys.

When I read "bad actor" I think of Hayden Christensen and it makes me feel angry.

Then I feel sad.

Then I feel angry again.

SallyNasty wrote:

When I read "bad actor" I think of Hayden Christensen and it makes me feel angry.

Then I feel sad.

Then I feel angry again.

Oh, Padme.

Brass oxidation is pretty easy to prevent (but with keys it might take periodic refreshes). Clean it with a brass cleaner (or lemon juice and salt, saith the internet), then use an artists paintbrush to cover the heads of the keys with polyurethane. I would not bother with the key teeth, though. When the covering chips too much, strip it with paint thinner, clean and dry, and reapply.

If you get a new brass lock, you'll notice it has polyurethane on it. This is why.

Rawk, I've never seen "bad actor" used to excuse or whitewash. That's... I'd be surprised to see that usage. Like saying "assailant" to "excuse" someone from felony assault, maybe? The point being, there's no good use of the phrase. It excuses nothing...

The funny thing is, the phrase as it's used in LEO/intel/military circles is starkly descriptive, simple, and not loaded with other meanings. It means what it says and no more. Simple, clear, declarative.

Robear wrote:

Rawk, I've never seen "bad actor" used to excuse or whitewash. That's... I'd be surprised to see that usage. Like saying "assailant" to "excuse" someone from felony assault, maybe? The point being, there's no good use of the phrase. It excuses nothing...

The funny thing is, the phrase as it's used in LEO/intel/military circles is starkly descriptive, simple, and not loaded with other meanings. It means what it says and no more. Simple, clear, declarative.

I've seen sort of that way I guess - along the lines of "Except for a few bad actors group x is a generally decent bunch of people"

That is supposed to be ‘bad apples’ and they are just mixing metaphors.

Robear wrote:

Rawk, I've never seen "bad actor" used to excuse or whitewash. That's... I'd be surprised to see that usage. Like saying "assailant" to "excuse" someone from felony assault, maybe? The point being, there's no good use of the phrase. It excuses nothing...

The funny thing is, the phrase as it's used in LEO/intel/military circles is starkly descriptive, simple, and not loaded with other meanings. It means what it says and no more. Simple, clear, declarative.

This is probably just my take on it, but when I read in the news of somebody being described as a bad actor, it seems like we’re just supposed to accept it like it’s normal. I can’t recall any examples of bad actors being brought to justice. They just keep on doing the awful crap that they always do.

Oh I suppose if I tried really hard I could think of one. Bernie Madoff. Did he go to jail? Did he go to one of those white collar prisons with conjugal visits? Or did he go to one of those federal pound you is the ass prisons?

It’s not really usefully a synonym for “criminal”. It denotes someone who drives actions that go against the interests of another group, usually (in my experience) a country. Putin is a bad actor in the usual sense, not because of any criminal activity, but because he has the potential to cause actions that are bad for the US and its allies. Bin Laden was a classic bad actor. Mexican drug lords are bad actors as well as criminals, because their policies and actions work against US national interests and can damage us as a country. But an American Mafia leader, or a serial killer, are typically not described this way, because they don’t act against our national security interests. So for me, it’s tied to analytical thinking about threats to national security, usually in the context of influences on foreign countries and organizations. (Sorry, not trying to be a jerk here, just... I don’t see the phrase very often outside of strategic analysis or pundits/reporters trying to sound like intel analysts...)

Madoff is in one of the prisons in Butner, NC, which range from a minimum security prison camp to a medium security traditional prison. Not sure which one he’s in.

Robear wrote:

(Sorry, not trying to be a jerk here, just... I don’t see the phrase very often outside of strategic analysis or pundits/reporters trying to sound like intel analysts...)

You’re not being a jerk. I appreciate your attempts to bring clarity to a term that has at least some of us stymied.

What was your first post in the loathe thread and do you still loathe it?

Chairman_Mao wrote:

What was your first post in the loathe thread and do you still loathe it?

I'm pretty sure it was work related, and I definitely still loathe work.

Chairman_Mao wrote:

What was your first post in the loathe thread and do you still loathe it?

My first loathe, August 25, 2011

Mantid wrote:

Parents and grandparents using computers, causing problems, and expecting me to be able to fix them immediately... when half the time I'm not even sure how they could have caused the problem to start with!

I loathe only half of that now, since I'm all out of grandparents.

I'm going to go ahead a loathe that this question isn't in the loathe thread!

My first loathe dates from 2009, and was about a Nigerian scammer 'buying' the laptop I put on Ebay. In the end, I had to add it again and Ebay charged me for both 'sales'. I tried to fight it at first, but the purposely obtuse support procedures blocked my efforts. In the end I decided it wasn't worth it and coughed up the amount.

I never sold anything on Ebay again.

My work keys at a past job used to leave my hands with grey marks on them (like pencil lead). After cleaning them many times and still getting grey marks, I asked the maintenance manager about it and he said it was from the dry graphite lubricant they use in the locks. It was, apparently, just something I had to live with, or clean my keys really frequently.